Toshiba Discontinues HD DVD

Blu-ray wins hi-def format war

TOKYO - Toshiba Corporation has
officially announced in a press release that after reviewing its strategy for
HD DVD, the company will halt developing, manufacturing and marketing HD DVD
players and recorders.

Toshiba attributes the move to changes in the
marketplace, but stressed that it will continue to provide product support and
service for owners of the company's HD DVD products.

According to the company's official
press release, Toshiba president and CEO Atsutoshi Nishida said of the decision,
"We carefully assessed the long-term impact of continuing the so-called
'next-generation format war' and concluded that a swift decision will best help
the market develop. While we are disappointed for the company and more
importantly, for the consumer, the real mass market opportunity for high
definition content remains untapped and Toshiba is both able and determined to
use our talent, technology and intellectual property to make digital
convergence a reality."

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Toshiba is now reducing its deliveries of HD DVD players and recorders to
retailers, and plans a complete cessation by the end of March 2008. The company also plans to stop volume production of HD DVD disk
drives for such applications as PCs and games during the same time. However,
according to the press release, Toshiba will make efforts to meet its
customers' needs.

The recent decision will not,
according to the press release, affect the company's commitment to standard
DVD. Toshiba will continue to market conventional DVD players and recorders.